Fabulous Comes in All Sizes
by increak96
Summary: ...including the body of a four-year-old! Yup, Ghirahim's a little boy filled with energy and mischief, and Link has the coveted job of taking responsibility for EVERYTHING! This is gonna be fun... :D
1. Chapter 1

**A\N: jklfdajkl;fdjasklfds;a WHAT AM I GOING WITH MY LIFE? Ah, geeze... IDK if I want to continue this or not. Depends on what you guys want. As for Fabulous, have a draft of the epilogue and a beginning of Giggles going, so more on later later this week-hopefully. I'll try to keep you posted. Also, people, the POLLS. If you don't do the POLLS how am I supposed to CONTINUE? Sick with Anger. If you want updates, you have to VOTE. Ah, but it's 12:15 and I have no regrets. Enjoy!**

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Where… where was he? Where was he going, and how long had he been here? Why did his chest hurt, and why was he all alone? Where… where was his master? And what… what was this sticky blue stuff all over him?

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

He stumbled over a tree root, falling to the ground, but he quickly got back up, not wanting to stay in the bokoblins sight for long. Tucking his white bangs behind his ear, he rounded a corner and found himself somewhere slightly familiar.

Giggling, he picked up speed, spreading his arms because—well, because it made him feel like he could fly!

"Hello?"

He stumbled his way into the big temple near the Sealed Grounds, and he looked around at all the pillars and the large gateway standing about the room.

_This looks familiar…_

But he didn't know. He didn't know where he was at all… and… and it was scary to be all alone in the middle of Faron woods. Where was Master? Why hadn't he come for him?

Frowning, he walked through the temple at the Sealed Ground and out to where the large statue was. He dropped his shoulders, staring up in awe.

"Oh, wow! That's the statue Master says Hylia gonna take up into the sky!" He twirled around for emphasis, and then ran over to the statue, climbing up the bottom to examine it.

He was several feet off the ground when his footing slipped, his hands following shortly after as he cascaded to the ground and landed in a crumpled heap.

For a moment, he just sat there, staring at his cuts and feeling the pain slowly set in. But… but the pain got worse. And that fall was scary! He could have died!

Tears welling up in his eyes, bottom lip quivering, cheeks flushing, he began to cry, wailing loudly as more blood fell from his skinned knees and stained the stones beneath him. He gasped for air in between screams, covering his eyes and trying to make the eyewater stop coming out.

"Hey, do you hear that?"

He registered a voice from across the field, and soon, footsteps were heard coming towards them. He looked up through blurred vision and saw a boy clad in green running towards him with a young maiden and redheaded fool close behind him.

"Are you alright?" the green one asked, kneeling down upon his arrival.

He shook his head pathetically. "N-no! I woke up in a tree, and I didn't know where I was, but I hurt myself when I fell, and I ran from a moblin who was trying to eat me, and I saw the statue, and I climbed it but then I fell and now I hurt until you came over here!"

The boy nodded slowly, for some reason, having a hard time processing all that. The boy looked… sort of familiar with that expression. He cocked his at the green one, his eyes slowly lighting up with recognition.

"You!" he pointed a finger at the boy.

"Me?"

"Yes you!" He jumped onto the boy, grabbing his tunic and climbing towards his face. "You are from my storybook!"

The boy stuttered. "I—I am?"

"You're the hero!" He clapped, jumping up and down.

The boy smiled nervously. "Oh, w-well… thanks. Um… do you, uh, know who you are?"

The look he received was an apprehensive one, and he didn't understand why the boy seemed so unnerved. "Of course! I'm Ghirahim!"

The boy nodded slowly. "Okay… do you know who I am? Besides being the hero?"

"Um… a skychild!"

"Well, actually my name is Link."

Ghirahim shook his head, grabbing onto Link's tunic and swinging from it. "I want for to call you skychild! Will you help me find Master? I'm lost!"

Link looked at his friends, biting his lip, and then looked back at Ghirahim. Ghirahim liked his eyes. They were so pretty and kind.

"Well? Will you? Huh, will you?"

Link sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "O…Okay. Well, your master asked us to watch you while he went on… a trip. So, you should just stay with us for now, and behave, and we'll figure something out, okay?"

"Okay!" Ghirahim wrapped his legs around Link and clambered further up his body. "I really like you, skychild. You're so nice. And pretty!"

Link gave him an odd look. "O…okay…? Let's… uh, let's just go to the house."

Ghirahim clapped and laughed, grabbing onto Link's neck. Living with the skychild was just going to be so much fun!

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**A\N: Review please! Continue, or no?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A\N: Wow! Fourteen reviews in ONE CHAPTER! *dies* You guys are fabulous~! Okay, so, I've decided this is probably going to take a Busy Boy format. Short chapters and fluff galore! I'm trying to pull together some kind of dramatic plot, but all I can see is FLUFF! Maybe after I get the fluff out of the way, my sadism will return and will get this a little more action packed!**

**Also! This is not the right story to advertise this... BUT. If you like GhiraLink torture, check this out!  
**

**.net/s/8114826/1/His_Game**

**It has the very rare... *pause for dramatic affect* SUBMISSIVE LINK! 8D  
**

**Also, my other faved stories are right here in this author's note:  
**

**.net/s/7813021/12/Fabulous**

* * *

"What do I do? What do I do?" Link panicked, walking back and forth across the kitchen floor, his fingers tangled in his hair as he tried to calm himself down to a rational level.

"Link, calm down, we can figure this out." Zelda held a hand up, motioning for Link to quiet himself, as the small demon was sleeping just down the hall.

"It's Ghirahim! And not only is it Ghirahim, it's a little tiny toddler Ghirahim! What—oh, man, what do I do?"

Groose shrugged his shoulders leaning back against the wall. "I have no clue what to tell you, but he seems to have all the evil sucked right out of him."

Link fell against the wall, sliding down to the floor and lowering his head between his knees. "I am so freaked right now…"

"Skychild?"

Link's head snapped up, and he saw young Ghirahim standing there in an oversized nightshirt, his thumb dangling from his mouth.

"Why are you upset?" Ghirahim trotted over to him, kneeling down on the ground and looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "What's making you sad inside?"

Link sighed, tousling the young boy's hair. "It's nothing, kiddo. I'm fine, go back to bed."

Ghirahim frowned at him, but got up and did as he was told. "I love you… Skydaddy."

Link's eyes widened, and he gave a dumb nod as the little boy ran from the room.

_Skydaddy?_

"Aww, he's so cute!" Groose exclaimed, and promptly cleared his throat after receiving odd looks from his friends. "So, do we know what to do yet?"

Link stood up, rubbing his eyes. "I need to go for a walk. You guys head to bed, I don't know when I'll be back. We should sleep on it, anyways."

Link didn't wait for a response, and instead, walked out the door, still shaking his head at the day's events.

_Skydaddy?_

* * *

Link sighed heavily as he walked through the forest, hands shoved deep into his pockets and tired eyes downcast. What was he supposed to do? He had been walking for an hour and a half and he still didn't know!

Sure, he loved kids and wanted a family of his own someday, but he was sixteen! How was he supposed to know how to take care of a toddler? As selfish as it sounded, he had things he wanted to do, too! Hero or no hero, he wanted to have some fun before it was time to settle down and get serious. A kid… a kid just got in the way of that!

He grumbled under his breath as he saw the lights in the distance, and though he dreaded the thought of seeing the little boy again, the idea of a warm bed urged him on.

Soon the outline of the house came into view, and shortly afterwards, the porch. Then slowly… a little white-clad figure became clear as well, and Link's eyes widened.

"Ghirahim? Is that you?" he asked, nervously speeding up. What was he doing outside? Had something happened to Zelda? Or Groose? Why wouldn't they put him back in bed?

"Skydaddy? Skydaddy!" The little demon flew from the porch and tottered over to his 'daddy' stumbling more than once before he got to Link and grabbed him by the tunic.

"Ghirahim, you need to be in bed."

"It's scary, Skydaddy! I don't wanna sleep in there, I wanna sleep with you!"

Link frowned, shaking his head as he picked him up. "No, you have to sleep in your bed."

"No! Wanna sleep with you! I'm scared!"

Link sighed, shaking his head. _This _was why he wasn't ready for kids. "Ghirahim…"

"Please, Skydaddy? Please?"

Link groaned, letting his head drop as he entered the house. "Fine…"  
"Yay!" Ghirahim shouted, and Link shushed him, rolling his eyes. Ghirahim put a finger to his lips and nodded, giggling.

They arrived in the bedroom and Link put Ghirahim on the bed, quickly slipping into the bathroom to change into his nightclothes and wash his face. When he came back out, Ghirahim was sitting on the bed, an expectant look on his face.  
"Alright, kiddo, light's out."

"But Skydaddy, I need a diapy!"

Link's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

Ghirahim jumped down from the bed and ran over to a bag Zelda had left for him, sorting through the small clothes and toys and pulling out a diaper, a proud grin on his face. "See? So I don't go potty in bed!"

Link paled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, right…" He had never done it before, but he had seen others do it, and it seemed to be a pretty basic thing. He could fake it.

Ghirahim lay down on the ground and pulled up his nightshirt, waiting for Link to dress him, that cutesy little smile still on his face. Still a little nervous, Link tugged the boy's underwear off and opened the diaper, looking at it curiously.

_I guess the diamonds go on the front, and the blank side is on the back._

Ghirahim threw his legs up, determined to help his ignorant Skydaddy through his trial, and Link slid the diaper under, lowering the boys legs and covering his indecency.

Link watched Ghirahim as he fastened the Velcro, both puzzled and amazed. Ghirahim was lying on his back, body exposed, fist in his mouth, and eyes wandering in all directions. Drool slid down his face as he waited for Link to get on with it, but he was so… content. So happy. How could this innocent and perfect little boy grow up to be a killer? A tormentor? A mass murderer?

"Skydaddy! Hurry up!"

Link jumped, quickly fastening the other strap and lifting Ghirahim into his arms, taking the boy over to the bed and laying him down, a slight smile on his face. Ghirahim snuggled down at and patted the pillow next to him, a sleepy haze clouding his eyes.

"G'night… Skydaddy…"

"Goodnight, Ghirahim."

Link hesitated, his stomach fluttering as he debated whether or not to do it, and he lowered his mouth to Ghirahim's forehead, kissing him softly. Ghirahim giggled in his sleep and rolled over, already snoring softly.

Link crawled in beside him and pulled the covers up over them, turning out the light and sliding closer to his boy.

_I think… I can make this work._

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**A\N: Please R&R!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**A\N: Alright! Another chapter up already? Yeah, man. I finally got a plot. LEGIT. Anywho, I hope y'all enjoy, and there a lil' bit of flashbacking about to go down to give you a heads up. Mentions in the next chapter! *WHOOFORMENTIONS***

**I don't own Skyward Sword peeps. If I did... it would have been longer, harder, and FILLED TO THE BRIM with that SEXY HOT DEMON LORD. XD  
**

* * *

_He hit his knees._

_It was white all around him, yet cold enough to send chills down his spine, and there was no sun, sky, or earth to be seen. He stared down at his bloodied hands, tears falling from his eyes as her footsteps signaled her approach._

"_P-please," he choked out, blood splashing through his lips. "Please, Hylia, don't… don't kill me, please!"_

_The goddess stopped and looked at him with sad, azure eyes, her silvery white hair falling around her shoulders in waves. "Why, Ghirahim? Why should I spare you after all you've done in the name of your master, Demise?"_

_Ghirahim shuddered at her words, shaking his head miserably. "I don't want to die, Hylia, not yet! I'm a demon, I'm… I'm almost three thousand years old. I've never known death—I've never seen the end, and I'm not ready! Please, I'm not ready…"_

_Perhaps his former self would have issues begging at his worst enemy's feet, but he had never been so terrified in all his life. He was confident that when Demise returned, they would rule eternally together and Hylia would not be a problem. But… but something had gone horribly wrong! And now he was at her mercy…_

"_But my dear, if you aren't ready yet, you never will be."_

"_Hylia, Your Grace, please…" He raised his watery eyes to her, feeling the saline drip from his chin, his hands still clenched in the white light below him. "I… I'm afraid…"_

"_Ghirahim, have you no shame? You devoted your life to this cause, yet you revoke it for the sake of living? Hundreds of humans—the humans you so look down upon—have given their lives for less, yet you grovel and beg heedlessly, bent only on saving yourself. You are selfish and a coward."_

_Her words stung deeply, and the familiar feelings of rage began to swell in him, but the fear that ransacked his body quickly calmed them, quelling the urge to shout back at her._

"_Please, Hylia, please… just one more chance."_

"_But, child—" Hylia stopped suddenly and gazed dead ahead, her eyes showing her deep thought. "Child…"_

"_Y-yes?" he gasped out, more crimson liquid joining the puddle around his nearly prostrate form._

"_Very well. If you want another chance, another chance you shall get. But listen to me carefully, Ghirahim."_

_Ghirahim flinched as the goddess seized his jaw in her hand and forced his attention to be solely on her._

"_If you mess this one up, that's it. No more chances."_

"_Yes, I understand!" He nodded rapidly, his voice eager._

_The goddess smiled warmly at him, stroking his hair. "You are going to be at the mercy of my hero, Link."_

_Ghirahim gasped, his eyes widening in terror. "B-but the skychild! He'll kill me!"_

_Hylia shook her head, lowering herself to her knees and pressing her index and middle fingers to his forehead. "No, he won't. He won't be able to."_

_Ghirahim moaned at the sensation moving through his body, shivering. "He'll beat me half to death, then…"_

_Hylia laughed softly, moving her fingers to his chest as the wounds began to close, the last droplets of his life liquid slithering out and dribbling to the floor. "No, he won't do that, either."_

_His body felt as though every muscle had fallen asleep, the tingling an almost painful sensation as she pressed her fingers into his lower abdomen._

"_Why not? He must hate me, just as you do, he cannot possibly—"_

"_Child," she said softly, touching her fingers to the floor before lifting his face and smiling down at him. "I do not hate you. I have known you since you were just a baby, and I have watched you toil and struggle alone all these years, and it killed me just as much as it would have if Link or Zelda or Impa or any of my faithful servants had to endure it."_

_Ghirahim felt his body weakening, and he struggled to keep his eyes open, hanging on her every word._

"_I know your pain, and I know how you've hurt, and I've loved you every minute of your depravity and every minute of your sanctity. You are mine, just as any other being of the world is, and even though you are lost, someday you will understand."_

_Ghirahim nodded sleepily, blackness seeping through his vision as the light rushed up towards him, consciousness escaping from his grasp. The last thing he remembered hearing was a baby's cry._

* * *

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Link jolted awake, sitting straight up in bed and looking to his left and right frantically. His eyes landed on Ghirahim, who was crying profusely on the bed, kicking his legs and covering his face as the wails echoed through the house.

"Ghirahim!" Link pulled the screaming child into his arms and stood up, gently rocking him. "Ghirahim, what's wrong?"

"I h-had a bad dream!" the demon sobbed, throwing his arms around Link's neck and weeping into his shoulder.

"Shh, shh, it's okay…" Link bounced him a little, rubbing small circles on his back.

"Link, what's wrong?" Groose stumbled into the room, half asleep, and Zelda followed closely behind.

"He had a bad dream," Link explained, still trying to comfort him. "Sorry he woke you up."

Zelda gave a sleepy smiled and waved it off, yawing. "It's alright. I was having weird dreams, too."

Groose nodded, scratching his head. "Actually, so was I."

Ghirahim's cries softened noticeably, and Link sat down on the bed, holding him in his lap. Zelda sat next to him, and Groose observed from where he stood, his arms crossed over his barrel of a chest.

"Ghirahim," said Link softly, brushing the tears away with his thumb. "What was your dream about?"

Ghirahim whimpered and mumbled out, "There was a pretty lady and she was… she was hurting someone. There was a lot of blood… and she was pokin' him, and then… he got really small and started crying. And it hurt!"

Link rubbed his arms gently, laying him back in his section of the bed and gently stroking his hair, smiling down at him. "It's alright, Ghirahim. It was only a dream, and I'm right here beside you. Okay?"

Ghirahim nodded slowly, and after a few more minutes of broken sobs, he was asleep again.

Link looked at his two companions and shrugged. "What was that about?"

Zelda frowned. "It might sound a little crazy, but… I think we had the same dream."

Link's eyebrows shot up, and Groose gave her and odd look. "What?"

"I had a dream sort of like that, too. It was Hylia and Ghirahim, and Ghirahim was… he was really beaten and scraggly looking. He was on his knees and begging Hylia not to kill him, and she didn't, she just… made him a child. I mean, there was more to it, but that was the gist."

Link's jaw hit his chest. "And you didn't think it was a good idea to _tell _us right away?"  
Zelda put a finger to her lips. "Shh! And no, I didn't. I went to bed thinking about the poor thing and I had at least five dreams of how he got turned into a baby."

Link turned to Groose. "Groose, what was your dream about?"

Groose shook his head. "It was way freaky, man. I was running through Faron and being chased by a giant foot, and then all of these Kikwi's came out and I got Rick Roll'd by the Elder and…"

Link and Zelda both stared.

"What?"

Link squinted. "What exactly _is _Rick Roll'd? How does it happen to someone?"

Zelda held up her hands. "I don't even want to know! Look, the point is, I think that dream Ghirahim had was actually a memory. And if he had one… he's bound to have more."

Link nodded, scratching his chin. "We'll all have to do our best to make him feel safe."

Groose yawned, stretching his arms. "Sounds great, but I'm tired. Can we finish this tomorrow?"

Zelda nodded and the two moved towards Link's door. "Alright. See you both in the morning."

"Night!" Link called, sinking down into the sheets.

"G'night, guys!" Groose made his way down the hall, humming to himself.

"What song is that?" Zelda asked, and Link waited for the response.

"It's the Rick Roll song."

"Groose! Go to bed!"

Link chuckled softly to himself and snuggled down next to his Ghirahim, watching the boy with passion in his eyes.

_I have to keep him safe. I have to make sure he doesn't end up on the path of evil again._

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**A\N: Yup. That's how it went down.**

**Stay on the path of eVILLLLLL!  
It's stay AWAY from the path of 'evilllll'.  
**

**XD Love spongebob.  
**

**Every  
Villain  
Is  
Lemons  
**

**Yes they are.  
**

**R&R PLZ! ^^  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A\N: Hey! Sorry this chapter took so long! It's a little shorter than the last one, but it's probably going to be the standard size. I don't know, it depends on how crazy this fic gets. XD**

**So, some people (a lot actually) were asking what Rick Roll'd is...  
**

**www . youtube watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0  
**

**Consider yourself enlightened! Or scarred... XD  
**

**_Mentions:_  
**

**__meijosui, Vaati, twinxieOO1, Iubire, anon, CreepyPeopleEatPie, daMikuofAZ, TwiliSoulSerpent, WolfenAmphithere, Alexus Loves Writing, hlf1495, The Dark Dweller, TatlTails, Chocolatepiewithcookiecrums, IWuvDis, MrMyshka, Triforce of Awesome, YaOiLoVeR9, Not always a Bookworm, Navishamon, Stoopid Login Button, Halfbloodprincess1, NatalyaKay, and xxxFaiFan THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS! Sorry if I misspelled any usernames, I have a headache and I'm not really all here right now... Lame excuse, I know. Plus, I think I wrote some of them down wrong in my Review Log... *headdesk* I'M SORRY!  
**

**But regardless, I DO NOT OWN THIS ENJOY! :D :D :D  
**

* * *

"Aww, Link, make it stop!" Groose shouted, slamming his hands over his ears.

Link winced, still trying to comfort Ghirahim, but to no avail. "He slept terribly last night… sorry. He's going to be miserable today. Maybe you two should just head out for a bit…"

Zelda frowned. "Well, we do need more food…" She was trying to play it up as a need to leave instead of a want, but she really didn't want to be there, and Link couldn't blame her. Couldn't blame Groose either.

"Skydaaaaddy! I want my caaar!"

Link shook his head, giving them the 'okay to go' sign with his free hand. "No, Ghirahim, you threw it three times, even though I told you not to. You can't do whatever you want; you have to listen to me."

"But I w-waaaant it!" Ghirahim wailed, wrapping his arms around Link's neck and sobbing into his shirt.

On a normal day, a tantrum like this would have been rewarded with a very sore bottom, but not today. The poor thing hadn't slept a wink. More nightmares, aches and pains, and a high fever. He was as sick as a dog, and Link was clueless as to what he needed to do.

"Okay, Ghiraboy, I think it's time for a nap."

"No! I don't want a nap! I'm not tired!" Ghirahim screamed, kicking his legs and trying to get down.

Link sighed heavily, holding his body tightly and not allowing him to move. "No, Ghiraboy. It's naptime now."

"No, Skydaddy, no! I want to play! I'm not tired!"

Link blew his bangs out of his eyes, ignoring the thrashes, kicks and hits from the toddler in his arms. Suddenly, he felt sharp pain in his hand, and he yelped, pulling it away from Ghirahim's face. "Ghirahim! No biting!"

Ghirahim struggled to get down, falling from Link's arms and scrambling over to a corner. Pressing himself back into it, he pointed a finger at Link, tears streaming down his face.

"Stay there! Stay over there, Skydaddy!"

Link put his fists on his hips, shaking his head at the small child in front of him. "Ghirahim, you need to sleep. You're sick, and I know you don't want to go to bed, but it will make you feel better."

"No it won't!" Ghirahim shouted, sitting down and burying his face in his hands.

"Yes, it will."

"No!"

Link was slowly losing patience, and he figured it was best to get the boy in bed before things went seriously downhill. Steeling himself, he walked up to the corner and grabbed Ghirahim around the waist, speed-walking to the bedroom while ignoring the screams and ear-splitting cries.

He stormed into the bedroom and set Ghirahim on the bed, running out and shutting the door before he could be followed.

"Skydaddy! Skydaddy!" Ghirahim pounded on the door, screaming at the top of his lungs. "I want you!"

Link locked the door and knelt down outside. "I know you want me, Ghiraboy. I want you, too, but if I'm in that room with you, there's no way you'll go to sleep. You'll play with my hair, and my mouth, and my clothes, and you'll talk to me, and you'll stay awake the whole time."

"Daaaaaaaddy! Daaaddy! Don't leave! Don't leave me! Staaaaay!"

Link sighed, little bits of his heart crumbling with every plea that left Ghirahim's mouth. "I'll stay right out here."

"No! No, in here! With me! Daddy!"

The words dissolved into incoherent sobbing and Link leaned back against the door, wanting very much to punch himself. Even though Ghirahim really _did _need a nap, it didn't change much. Link still felt awful.

"I'm right here, Ghiraboy."

_It's going to be a long day._

* * *

Zelda smiled softly when she rounded the corner, spying Link sleeping on the floor a few feet away, right outside Ghirahim's bedroom door.

"Hey, Groose," she said softly, sticking her hand into the kitchen and motioning for him to follow, which he did.

"You carry Link, and I'll get Ghirahim."

Groose chuckled to himself and nodded, picking Link up bridal style and waiting for Zelda to get the door open. She pushed the door enough to get her head in and looked around the room, giggling when she saw Ghirahim curled up just inside the door, his thumb securely tucked into his mouth.

"Oh, Ghirahim…"

She sighed, leaning down and picking him up. Groose put Link on the bed, and Zelda lay Ghirahim on his chest, watching as Link's arms instinctively wound around Ghirahim's small body.

"Stay with them a moment, I'm going to go get my sketchbook!"

Groose nodded, grinning widely. "Great idea! This is too cute to pass up."

Zelda turned and crept out as silently as she could, taking off at a run once she was out of the room. She dashed into her own chamber and threw her cabinets open, rummaging around for her sketchpad.

"Where on Surface did I—Ow!"

Zelda grabbed her head, pain searing through her head. She fell to her knees, images flashing over her eyes as a soft groan escaped her lips.

_This again?_

She tried to push the pain away and focus on the pictures. Most of them were of Hylia and her land, benevolent and flourishing, but occasionally she would see some of Demise, the Dark Realm, and Ghirahim.

Her mind froze over one depiction in particular, and she scowled, closing her eyes to get a better view—as if that made any sense.

_These powers are taking some serious getting used to…_

The picture was of Ghirahim, and there had to have been someone else in the room considering the situation, but Zelda couldn't see who it was. The image had frozen in the mid-swing of a gruesome looking whip. Ghirahim's back was littered with lash marks, and a few straggling tears ornamented his cheeks. He seemed to be young, but not the same kind of young that Link had been raising. Perhaps… twelve? Thirteen? Somewhere along those lines. Half naked and hanging from his wrists as this weapon dug into him again and again.

_Interrogation? From who?_

The picture shifted, and Zelda caught a glimpse of red before pain took her mind once again and everything went black.

"Zelda!"

* * *

**A\N: Oh noez! What's gunna happen? Oh, wait... heh... I'm the author... yeah, I'll get on that. XP**

**Please review! It will fill my heart with rainbows! Flames will awaken a wrath that will burn for eons!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**A\N: Um... Nothing much to say on this except sorry about the wait and I'm leaving again next week so... Yeah! If you like my facebook page and follow it you'll get all the details! :)**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

"Zelda!" Groose hit his knees and picked her up, shaking her a few times to try and wake her up. She let out a soft sigh, remaining unconscious.

Trying not to panic, he picked her up bridal style and started for Link's bedroom, glancing between her pale face and the hallway as he ran.

"Link!" He ran to the door and opened it up with mild difficulty, placing Zelda gently on the floor and running to Link's bedside, grabbing his shoulder and giving a few hard shakes.

"Link! Link, wake up! Zelda passed out, and I don't know what to do!"

Link's eyes fluttered for a moment and then snapped open. "What?" He sat up in bed, holding Ghirahim against his chest so he wouldn't fall.

"You and Ghirahim were sleeping and looked really cute, so Zelda when to get a sketchpad. I heard a really loud thud, went to check it out, and I found her like this!" Groose motioned wildly with his hands, and Link placed Ghirahim back in the sheets, kneeling beside Zelda and placing his ear against her chest.

"She still has a pulse, and she's breathing. Was she complaining of pain or dizziness at all?"

Groose scratched his chin for a moment, gaze on the ceiling. "Not that I can think of. She keeps saying her goddess powers make her feel funny, but it comes and goes and it never made her pass out."

Link gave a sharp nod and felt her pulse with his fingers, just to be sure. "She feels fine. Get some water from the bathroom."

Groose ran outside and down the hall, quickly grabbing a small basin and filling it with water before running back as fast as he could without spilling it. Link took the bowl and muttered an apology under his breath before dumping the contents over Zelda's head and torso.

"Ah!" Zelda gasped, sitting straight up and panting. "Wh-what?"

Groose's eyes widened for a second, and then he laughed, covering his mouth to muffle the sound.

Link laughed, too, shaking his head. "Sorry, Zelda. You passed out, and we were worried about you."

Zelda looked down at herself for a moment, then up at Link, and then over at Groose, taking a few minutes to register where she was and what was going on.

"Link! Groose!"

The two boys laughed, Link holding up the basin like a shield as Zelda removed her sopping wet apron and whipped it at him.  
"You guys are terrible!"

Groose shrugged his shoulders, laughing as he dodged a swing. "Come on, Zelda, you were out cold."

Zelda smiled slightly and dropped her apron in the bowl, rubbing the side of her head. "Yeah, I can feel it. I've had odd visions like that before… but they never knocked me out. They just made me really tired."

Link's lips twisted into a scowl, and he glanced at the boy on the bed. "You don't think Ghirahim's presence has anything to do with all of these weird dreams and visions, do you?"

Zelda nodded her head. "Actually, I do, but it's not a bad thing. The pictures I saw were the usual ones, just random memories of the war and the times before then, but this one picture I stopped at…" Her voice slowed, a vacant gloss coating her sky blue eyes. "It was Ghirahim, and he looked to be only twelve or so. He was… horribly beaten. There was blood everywhere. Someone was whipping him, but just as I was about to see who it was, I passed out." She shook her head sharply, squeezing her eyes shut.

Link put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Don't think about it right now. Let your mind settle and try to go back to it later."

Groose nodded in agreement, worry creasing his brow.

Zelda smiled. "Thanks for your help, guys. I'm glad we're all a team now."

Link grinned, nodding his head. "Me, too!"

Groose let out a sharp laugh and grabbed them both in a hug, grinning from ear to ear. "Aw, I love you guys!"

They both gasped, struggling to pull in air, and he quickly let them go, rubbing the back of his neck. "Whoops."

Link rolled his eyes, cracking his neck to remove the kinks. "Well, now that I'm awake, what's for dinner?"

Groose looked at Zelda expectantly, his stomach beginning to growl at the mention of food.

Zelda laughed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You guys are so helpless!" And with that, she went off to make food.

* * *

_"M-Master… st-stop… please…"_

_Ghirahim hit the ground, blood spilling past his lips, tears falling from his eyes. Broken fingers clawed at the ground, struggling to pull his body away from Demise. Fear framed his wild, chocolate eyes, and his heart began to pound in rhythm with his master's deafening footsteps._

_"Master… I'm s-sorry… h-haven't I been p-punished enough? P-please… I can't t-take anymore… enough… enough, please…"_

_A loud laughed rang through the cavern, and Ghirahim shivered. The cold prison air caressed his naked body, sending wave after wave of goosebumps over his stonewashed skin._

_"That's funny. You, a mere slave, trying to tell me when you've been punished enough."_

_"AH!"_

_Pain tore through his side, blood splashing to the ground with a large chunk of flesh._

_"Master… Master…"_

_Ghirahim shuddered as Demise grew closer, all sense leaving him as he repeated the only word he thought might reach the monsters ears._

_"Master…"_

* * *

Ghirahim shot up in bed and gasped, doubling over in pain as a soft cry escaped his lips. His head hurt, his tummy hurt, his muscles ached… he was hungry and thirsty and tired.

"Master…?"

"Oh, you're awake!"

Ghirahim jumped, head snapping towards the doorway. "Skydaddy!" he exclaimed happily, all previous worries fleeing his mind. "Is my nap over now?"

Link nodded, winking at him. "All done. But pretty soon it'll be time to go to bed, so you have to play fast."

"Already?" Ghirahim shouted, jumping up and running for the door. Link caught his arm and knelt down, smiling at him.

"Aren't you going to ask why we're going to bed so early?"

Ghirahim paused for a moment. Sure, he was curious, but he wanted to hurry up and play! "Uh… no."

Link threw his head back and laughed. "I'll tell you anyways! We're going on a trip tomorrow to try and find your master. We'll have to leave early, so that's why we need to get to bed."

Ghirahim stopped for a moment, blinking, and then he slowly began to nod. "O-okay… Can I go play now?"

Link frowned, a confused expression on his face. "Aren't you excited?"  
Ghirahim giggled and nodded. "Yup! But I wanna play!"

Link rolled his eyes, the grin once again parting his lips. "Alright, you go play."

Ghirahim nodded and ran down the hall towards the living room where his playthings were, his mind going back to the nightmare he had just woken from.

_I don't know… maybe I don't want to go see Master…_

But it didn't matter what happened. Skydaddy would take care of him, he knew, so there was nothing to _really _worry about, but still… it made him nervous.

_Please, don't hurt me… Master…_


	6. Chapter 6

**A\N: Yay! Another chapter! Not much to say on this... the next chapter is when things are really gonna start getting epic. Some battles and maybe a kidnapping... or any ideas you have of dramatic things that could happen to little Ghira on his adventure! Please review! Mentions will be in the next chapter!**

* * *

"So, where are we going again?"

Ghirahim handed his pillow to Link, watching as he stuffed it into his adventure pouch, a look of amazement on his face.

"We're going to find your master, remember?"

"Yeah, but where _is _that?" Ghirahim rolled his eyes, wondering why his Daddy was so silly sometimes. "Be pacific!"

Link raised an eyebrow at him, chuckling softly. "You mean 'specific'?"

Ghirahim nodded, smiling widely. "Yeah, that!" He grabbed some clothing from the drawer and handed it to Link as the hero shoved what he thought they would need into that tiny little pocket. "So, where are we going?"

Link stopped for a moment, pursing his lips. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. But! I do know this:" Link knelt down in front of Ghirahim and smiled, tapping his nose. "It will be an adventure."

Ghirahim jumped up and down, giggling madly. "Yay! An adventure!"

Link shoved a few more objects into his pouch and then walked out the door, motioning for Ghirahim to follow him.

"Daddy, how do you fit all of that stuff into those tiny little pockets?"

Link laughed, shaking his head. "It's a secret. I can't tell you!"

Ghirahim blew his bangs out of his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "That's not a real answer, Daddy."

Link smirked. "I know."

"Daddy!" Ghirahim exclaimed. "I wanna know!"

Link just laughed and ran down the hall into the kitchen. Ghirahim, smelling a chase, ran after him, sliding on the hardwood and laughing his little head off.

"Morning Zelda!" Link laughed, running around the table, Ghirahim on his tail.

"Mornin' Momma!"

Zelda startled a little at the sudden nickname, but she smiled. "Good morning, boys."

Link continued to run, and Ghirahim chased him vigilantly down the halls and out of the house, screaming and laughing as he went.

"I'm gonna get you, Daddy!"

Link threw his head back and laughed, picking up his pace a little. Ghirahim giggled to himself and sped up, reaching out his fingers to grab his father's tunic.

Darkness. Glass. Blood.

"_Idiot! I told you not to touch that! It was priceless!"_

"_I'm… I'm sorry!" _

Ghirahim's head snapped around, pain searing through his body. That sounded like his voice… but he hadn't spoken! Link slowly stopped and turned, giving the demon child a concerned look.

"Ghirahim…? Ghirahim, are you alright?"

"_M-Master, please don't beat me! I'll fix it—I p-promise! Ah!"_

Ghirahim jumped, a burning, tingling pain snaking down his spine and sending him to his knees. "Daddy…" he whimpered, unable to see anything but fire for miles around. "Daddy, it hurts."

"_You can beg all you want, but I'll be teaching you a lesson you'll never forget!"_

Ghirahim began to cry, wriggling feebly as he felt more agony spasm though his back. He could see the cracked, stone floor, stained crimson with his blood. When he looked up, he could see his hands, much bigger than they were supposed to be, chained to a ceiling, water sliding down the iron fetters and dripping into his dry mouth—the first drink he'd had in days. Pain. Lots of pain…

"Shh… shh… don't cry, Daddy's here…"

Warm arms were wrapped tightly around him, enveloping him with a foreign warmth. He liked it… it was comfortable. It was Daddy.

"Daddy…" The darkness faded away into clear blue eyes, and Ghirahim's smile returned. "I can't wait to go on this adventure with you!" He threw his arms around Link's neck, snuggling his face into the forest green fabric. Link stood up, supporting the boy in his arms and smiling happily, albeit confused.

"Alright, Ghirahim… then we'll set out right away…"

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want us to come along with you?"

Link shook his head, lowering his voice a bit. "No. Something is wrong with Ghirahim, and I don't know what it is, but it has to do with his memories. I need you to stay here and research his past while I keep him busy. Maybe we'll find some answers along the way…"

Zelda nodded, glancing for a moment at the child playing on the floor with Goose, which was what Ghirahim had taken to calling Groose, because Ghirahim said he was such a silly goose.

"And what if I find something really huge?"

Link debated that for a moment, shoving a few final provisions into his pack. "If that happens, come and find me. Use your goddess powers… I'll try to keep in touch."

Zelda nodded, handing him one final item before giving his shoulder a light punch. "Good luck."

Link nodded, smiling. "Thanks. You, too." Then he stepped into the living room. "Alright, Ghirahim, say goodbye to Goose, we're headin' out!"

Ghirahim ran forward and hugged Groose around the neck. "Goodbye, Goose! I will see you when we get back, okay?"

Groose nodded, wiping tears from his eyes, and Link let out an exasperated sigh. "You go have an adventure, kid. I'll be waiting!"

Ghirahim nodded and ran over to Link, taking his hand. Link smiled warmly and turned towards the door, walking out into the morning air, Zelda and Groose waving from the door.

"Bye!" Zelda called.

"Be safe!" Groose added. "Don't forget to eat a lot and drink water! Don't get too tired—make sure you stop for breaks! If it gets cold, bundle up!"

Ghirahim just giggled, grabbing a stick as he ran, swinging it like a sword. "Goose! It's summer!"

Link laughed, crouching down. "Piggy back ride?" he offered, knowing they couldn't run at a toddler's pace the entire time.

"Yay!" Ghirahim hopped up on his back, giggling with glee as Link stood up. He held his sword high in the air, barely missing Link's head. "Charge!"

Link laughed and took off running, giving his companions at the house a final glance before disappearing into the wood.

* * *

**A\N: Poor little Ghira... :( Please leave a review, and feel free to share any ideas that you have.**

**Also, I know this chapter is a bit short, so I want to make up for it in the next one. (Which is another reason ideas would be great!) Can you guess what the first line of the next chapter is going to be?  
**

**Hint: They've been walking for hours, and Ghirahim is four. Think about it...  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A\N: Meh. I'm not super happy with this chapter... I feel like... I don't know, like maybe I need more depth? More detail? It's missing... SOMETHING. I may come back and visit this later... I hope you all enjoy! Another flashback for Ghira in this story. :(**

**_Mentions:_meijosui, Vaati, twinxie1OO, Iubire, anon, CreepyPeopleEatPie, daMikuofAZ, TwiliSoulSerpent, WolfenAmphithere, Alexus Loves Writing, hlf1495, The Dark Dweller, TatlTails, Chocolatepiewithcookiecrums, IWuvDis, MrMyshka, Triforce of Awesome, YaOiLoVeR9, No always a Bookworm, Navishamon, Stoopid Login Button, Half-BloodPrincess1, NatalyaKay, xxxFaiFan, aliy, Charmander Wizard, Anonymous, Dire Heart, Dark Bless, Anonymous 2, zelda3469, BlueFrenchHorn97, SailorSun546, MelociousNocturneGirl, Guest, Melissa Machine 5000, Piezelle, Yay, DarkLinkLovesLink, DragonEye0905, Ponana, Fritter Critter, dbzfan8, and Guest 2! Thank you ALL SO MUCH! ALL 44 OF YOU! *disbelief* I GIVE YOU ALL COOKIES AND MENTIONS AND THANKS AND LOVE! *hearts everywhere*  
**

**Alright, and onto the story!  
**

**(Just posting this here again, not sure if I've mentioned it on this story. I have a facebook page where you can keep up with what I'm doing fanfiction-wise and sometimes get sneak peeks. Riiight here: www . facebook increak96)  
**

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

Link sighed, shaking his head. "We get there, when we get there."

"I'm tired of walking," Ghirahim whined, sticking his bottom lip out.

Link smiled lightly at that. "That's funny. Because I've been carrying you for the past twenty miles."

Ghirahim shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, it's makin' me tired."  
Link laughed, reaching up and grabbing the boy from his shoulders, swinging him down in his arms and planting his lips on the young demon's belly. He blew raspberries against the pale skin as Ghirahim squealed and laughed, kicking his little legs and trying to push his daddy's face away.

"Stop! Haha! Sta-ha-ha-hap it!"

Still smiling, Link put his boy on the ground and started walking towards a nearby spring. "Come on. Let's get something to drink and sit for a while to snack."

"Snacky!" Ghirahim clapped his hands and took off running, humming a little Hylian song to himself.

Link smiled to himself, setting his pack down a little ways off form the water's edge. _I'll need to start a fire to cook this stuff… and maybe do a little hunting. _

"Ghirahim, you can go play for a while, just stay close, alright?"

"Alright, Daddy!" Ghirahim jumped up from where he sat staring at his reflection and bounded after a flying beetle, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Link watched him leave, a light smile teasing his lips. He shook his head slowly, making his way towards one of the somewhat thick areas of the forest, picking up some sticks and branches for kindling.

_It's hard to imagine that boy someday killing thousands upon millions of innocent people. He seems so… happy and gentle…_

Link sighed, grabbing a few large logs and bringing them all to his pack before going to seek out some rocks.

_Then again, I guess when I was his age, no one suspected I was going to save the world from a great evil, huh?_

Shaking his head again, he continued down the path, picking up stones as he went.

_I wonder if there's a way to stop him from becoming evil. I mean, if he gets a proper upbringing, maybe there's a chance he'll turn out different then he did under Demise. _

He heard Ghirahim's laughter in the distance, and he smiled, confident he was both safe and close by. Still tumbling his thoughts over in his head, he continued down the path.

_Is there… is there a way to change his destiny?_

* * *

Ghirahim stumbled up the sand hill, giggling madly as the sand slid downwards, taking him with it. He fought against it, still running in that one particular spot, which was what he had been doing for several minutes now.

"It's a never-ending hill!" he laughed, and then he stopped running, plopping down and tumbling down the hill with the sediment, laughing hysterically on the ground. "This is so fun!"

He turned towards the sand hill, prepared to run again, when he heard a sudden shriek behind him.

Stopping, he turned around and saw an ugly blue creature with a large knife standing a little ways off.

"Hello!" Ghirahim waved at him cheerfully, assuming that odd noise was this being's way of saying 'hi'. Then he turned towards the hill again.

The shriek came again, and Ghirahim stopped mid-run, sighing exasperatedly. "What do you _want_?" he snapped, turning around again.

He jumped, realizing the creature had gotten much closer and was holding his knife up high. In fact, it looked like he was going to…

"H-Hey! Wh-what are you doing?" Ghirahim backed up, hitting the base of the hill and falling back onto the sand, eyes wide. "P-put that down!"

The creature moved closer, grabbing Ghirahim's hair and pulling his arm back. The beast swung forward. Ghirahim screwed his eyes shut, let out a scream, and clapped his hands together.

Something wet sprayed over him, staining his clothes and splashing into his mouth. He shook his head, spitting the coppery liquid out onto the ground, and after a moment of rubbing, he opened his eyes and looked.

He let out a scream, covering his mouth at the grotesque sight of the blue man impaled on a large, black sword. Blood pooled around its limp body, its knife lying discarded on the ground. The red liquid fell from its mouth, eyes wide open. Dead.

Chocolate brown eyes filled with tears…

And once more he screamed.

* * *

"_What's the problem, Ghirahim?" _

_Ghirahim jumped at his master's voice, dragging one arm over his eyes and pointing to the bloodied figure at his feet. "I… I panicked!" he blurted out._

_Demise crouched down by the tattered corpse, but he didn't seem angry. In fact, he seemed… pleased. _

"_M…Master?"_

_Demon King Demise said nothing, silently getting to his feet and snapping his fingers. Several servants entered the room, looking at him expectantly._

"_Yes, Master?" they chorused, and Ghirahim winced at the volume of their echo._

"_Form a circle around the outer wall of this room."_

_The servants did so without hesitation, and Ghirahim began to feel sick to his stomach. Sniffling, he grabbed his master's robe and tugged on it._

"_M-Master? What are you doing?"_

"_You'll see."_

_His malicious, excited response did nothing to console the young demon, and Ghirahim looked at the mangled body, understanding far beyond his six years showing in his eyes. _

_When all of the slaves were in place, Demise turned to the young demon, grinning. "Now, I want you to repeat what you just did so I can see it. See how many you can get at once."_

_Ghirahim swallowed hard. "I… I don't want to… I don't want to hurt anyone… Please, Master, it was an accident…"_

_Ghirahim hit the ground hard, a pink splotch on his cheek. He didn't wait for further orders. He crossed his legs and sat on the floor, fighting off tears as he brought his hands together in a loud clap._

"_Ghirahim?"_

_Blood showered the duo, every single slave exploding from the inside out, his magic twisting its way through their bodies and destroying them._

"_Ghirahim, are you okay?"_

_Demise began to laugh loudly, but all Ghirahim wanted to do was cry. A little girl's dolly landed in his lap, her hand still attached._

"_Ghirahim, answer me!"_

_And he screamed._

* * *

"Daddy!"

Link sighed in relief when Ghirahim finally opened his eyes, but the worry quickly returned when he saw the horror-stricken glaze on his eyes.

"Ghirahim… what's wrong? Are you bleeding?"

Ghirahim pointed past Link, his little arm wrapped around his stomach. Link turned slowly, palling when he saw a bokoblin skewered on a very familiar black sword, blood everywhere.

"O-Oh…"

Link swallowed hard. This was what it came down to. Ghirahim had made his first kill… and while he seemed upset, how Link handled the situation could have serious repercussions.

_I should punish him… but he looks so distraught. What if it makes him hate me? I can't have that… I have to… no, that wouldn't… but… uh…_

"D-Daddy…?"

Link turned back to the boy sitting before him, heart melting at the pitiful face he was given. Little hands reached up towards him, silently begging for comfort.

_Here we go. Deep breath. Remain calm._

"Ghirahim…" Link gently lifted the boy from the ground, standing up and rocking him back and forth. "Are you okay?"

Ghirahim shook his head into Link's shoulder, crying a little harder. Link rubbed his back, shushing him.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Ghirahim whimpered, fingers curling through Link's tunic, holding on tight. "K-killed it… I k-killed it…"

Link was slightly encouraged by the fact that he understood killing was wrong, but the fact that it happened was still unnerving. "Why did you do that?"

Ghirahim cried a little harder, rubbing his bloodstained face with his hands. "H-he came at me… with a knife. And he grabbed my hair… and I clapped. I was scared. It…" He shut his eyes, his knuckles turning white. "It was an accident!" he shouted.

Link jumped at how his voice. It was… a combination of scared and angry.

Not knowing what else to do, Link bounced him a little in his arms, kissing his forehead. "It's alright, Ghirahim. I know it was an accident. Don't do it again, alright?"

Ghirahim looked up at him. "M-master… Master made me…" He looked like he wanted to say something, but he shut his mouth tightly and nestled his face in Link's chest.

_Master made him? Master made him what? Kill? Fight? A child? In the past? In the future? In a flashback?_

Link desperately wanted to ask for more details, but he couldn't. Not when Ghirhaim was already overwhelmed. Besides, he was only four year old—it was very likely that he didn't know what was happening himself.

_Who could I ask?_

"Um, Ghirahim? Let's go get some snacks now, alright?"

Ghirahim nodded silently, his sobs slowly diminishing.

_Who would even know about that time period? Impa's gone, so she can't help. And the only other people I know of are…_

Link grinned, picking up speed as he made his way towards their campsite. "Come on! We have to hurry so I can take you to meet a fried of mine. Plus, you need a bubbly bath."

"With extra b-bubbles?"  
Link winked and nodded.

"Who are we going to see?" Ghirahim asked, completely recovered save for his puffy red eyes and disheveled appearance.

"Oh… just a somebody."

"Who?"

"You'll see! Just be patient!"

Link came to a stop at the campfire, still grinning at the idea of a lead—or at least someone who might have an idea as to what he could do.

_Faron. _

* * *

**A\N: Please review! Thanks so much~!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**A\N: SO happy that I just did mentions because it's almost one o' clock in the morning and there is no way I have time to do them. So, I'm gonna make this quick: This was a fun chapter, not a whole lot of Ghirahim action, moreso information, next chapter will be ALLL The Ghirafeels, aaaand I hope you enjoy this! Please review! I feel like it's shorter than the other chapters... when in actuality, I'm pretty sure it's longer. **

* * *

Link inhaled deeply, stepping onto the platform that extended over the lake, glancing down at Ghirahim, who was holding onto his hand tightly.

"Uh… D-Daddy, what are we doing up so… uh, h-high…?"

Link gave his hand a little squeeze to comfort him and smiled. "We're going to see that friend of mine. I'm hope she'll sense my presence and come out so we don't have to jump."

Ghirahim blinked, swallowing hard. "J-jump…?"

Link sat down at the edge of the cliff and draped his legs over the edge, glancing down at the water below. "Don't worry, we shouldn't have to."

Ghirahim nodded, staying back a ways. "Okay…"

Link sat for a few moments, and then he turned around, seeing the boy fidget and looked around at the edges of the bridge.

Smiling, Link slapped the stone next to him. "Come sit," he invited.

Ghirahim shook his head furiously. "No… I… I don't want to… no…"

"Oh. Are you… scared of heights?"

Ghirahim hung his head in shame, nodding slightly. "Y-yes…"

Link was somewhat confused, seeing as Ghirahim had never shown this fear in his adult life, but he smiled and nodded his head. "Alright, Ghirahim. Do be honest, I'm not too fond of them either."

Ghirahim seemed surprised at his response, and he opened his mouth to speak, but a roaring column of water from the lake shot into the sky, cutting him off. Link scrambled to his feet, holding up his shield to block as much of the water as he could.

"Faron!" he exclaimed happily.

"Ho! It's the goddess' chosen hero, is it?" The blue dragon lowered herself slightly, levitating where he could see her face without craning his neck.

He gave a light chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, it's me. I need some advice."

Her eyebrows rose, an expression on her face that said, 'tell me, I'm waiting'.

"Right, well… actually, I'm going to have to…" he motioned towards Ghirahim. "…tell you when he's out of earshot."

The dragon frowned. "Who?"

Link turned. "Ghira—what?" Link stared at the empty bridge, panic creeping through his chest. What if he had gotten knocked down by the torrents? Or what if he got scared and ran away? What if he ran into another monster, and—

"The boy behind the pillar, you mean?"

Link squinted, leaning forwards slightly and sighing in relief when he saw Ghirahim cowering behind the column-like poles on either side of the gate.

"Ghirahim, why don't you go play for a while? Make sure you stay close this time though."

Ghirahim gave a slight nod and ran to a patch of lush grass not very far away, throwing himself down in it and playing.

Link turned back to the ancient reptile and chuckled quietly. "Well… there you have it. He's a toddler now."

Faron was watching the boy intensely, her eyes following his every movement. Link swallowed, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

_I'm not entirely sure what to say now…_

"Um… Faron, I—"

"Evil still broods in him. He is too young to have been influenced greatly by Demise, but as he grows, his memories of Demise will shift and change. That is where things will start to go wrong."

"That's actually what I came to talk to you about. Do you… know what happened between Demise and Ghirahim? Or how Demise treated him?"

Faron became very quiet, something like sadness in her normally analytical eyes. "Those times… are better left unremembered."

Link shook his head. "But Ghirahim _is _remembering them. That's the problem."

"Oh?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "If that is the case, perhaps… you can alter fate, Link."

He shook his head, he befuddlement at the situation growing with every sentence. "What… what do you mean?"

Faron took a deep breath, causing a wind to blow through the trees. "Demise was a horrible master. He was very cruel to Ghirahim ever since the child was born. When he was six… things began to deteriorate beyond repair. Ghirahim was rarely let out of the castle, and he was trained to be a heartless killers. Any fears or doubts he had were beaten out of him, and he became cold." She paused. "There were obvious phases of it. I only saw bits and pieces, being an outsider of that… thing's fortress. When Ghirahim was four, as he is now, he was joyous and happy. When he was six, he looked very guilty all the time. He got sick frequently—fevers, vomiting, hallucinations, and the like. When he was eight, he was terrified of everything. Every motion was interpreted as an attack, everything that was said was considered verbal assault. He believed everyone was out to get him. When he was twelve… he became a little soldier. The evil had taken deep roots in his heart, and sometimes he would surrender to it. For a moment… you would glimpse the Ghirahim we know today. But the rest of the time, he just tried his best to be obedient and respectful—to avoid retribution at all costs." She shook her head, her eyes wandering over to the boy again. "The last time I saw him… he was fourteen. He was… the Ghirahim you met in the Skyview temple. After that, I didn't see him for quite some time. Then he came back, at age nineteen… the Ghirahim you fought in Skyview."

Link's jaw hung open slightly. "W-wait… Ghirahim was only nineteen? And… and wait, why did he stay with his master? Demise was so horrible?"

Faron continued to watch the boy, the pity spreading from her eyes to her lips, twisting them into a frown. "He didn't know any other type of acceptance existed. All Ghirahim had ever known was his master's so-called affection. He thought that was what love was. No one taught him any different. He craved acceptance and love just like any other child, and what he received… he made it out to be what he wanted."

Link grit his teeth, his hands balling into fists on instinct. "So… so how to I alter this? You said I could alter it?"

Faron was silent.

"Well? Tell me! I want… I want to help him!"

Faron shook her head. "It will be difficult… and painful for the both of you."

"I don't care!" Link shouted.

"You will want to give up."  
"But I won't."

"You will want to leave him."

"I could never."

Faron smiled lightly, nodding her head and finally turning her eyes to Link. "Very well. The only way I can think of, is for him to have the crucial stages of his life countered. I have told you what his interpretation of love was, now you must counter it. I can advance his age, and each time I do, you have to counter what he knows with what should have been. Six would be the next age to go to. When he was six, he was guilt-ridden and sick. So… you must meet that guilt with forgiveness and his sickness with healing, tenderness, and care. He will begin to doubt Demise's 'love', and his loyalty will wane."

Link nodded enthusiastically. "I can do that! I'm ready!"

"It will not be that easy. Ghirahim will not remember these moments you have spent with him—he will only remember his past as it was before this time paradox occurred. However, as you spend time with him… he will remember. Those memories will counter his real memories, and they will clash. It will be painful and scary for him, and it will be harder for you every time his age changes. It will seem like all of the work you've done has been erased."

Link didn't even care. Over the past couple of weeks spent with Ghirahim, he had come to love the boy. It was _his _little boy now, and he wanted him to be better. "Alright, I got it." Then he stopped. "What about when he's nineteen again? Will he remember his original past or the one I create?"

"Both. He will realize he was changed into a child—and perhaps he will be able to tell you how it happened—and he will remember both pasts. At that point…" Faron gave a slight shake of her head. "It will be entirely up to him who he chooses to follow. This plan… it may backfire completely. He may end up hating you more for trying to get him to betray his master."

Link finally snapped, unable to take all of the warnings and side-effects of what he was about to do. "I just want him to be happy, Faron. I want him to be happy."

She nodded her head slowly.

"Ghirahim!" Link called to the boy, and he came running.

"Yes, Daddy?"

Link picked him up, holding him in his arms and looking into his eyes for a long time. "Ghirahim… you know that I love you, right?"

Ghirahim nodded, giggling. "I love you, too!"

Link let his eyes close for a moment.

_If I just hold onto those words, I can do this…_

"Ghirahim, we're going to use a technique. It has to do with getting your master back, sort of. And I need you to listen to Faron so that it can happen."

Ghirahim blinked a few times, and then nodded. "Sure! Uh, w-will it hurt? Bad, I mean?"

Faron shook her head. "You won't feel anything. It will be just like going to sleep."

Link gave a sharp nod, smiling warmly. Ghirahim shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay!"

Link set him down and stepped back, still forcing his lips to remain in their upturned position. Faron leveled her face with the boy and stared into his eyes, pulling out of her hands out of her sleeves and reaching towards him slowly. She pressed a clawed finger to his forehead, making him flinch slightly, and in the next moment, he hit the ground.

"Ghirahim!"

Link scooped him up into his arms and held him tightly, fighting the burn at the edges of his eyes.

"Ghirahim… it's time to wake up…"

"You will have to pretend you don't know him." Faron started to lower herself into the lake, smiling slightly at Link and giving him her final words of wisdom. "Don't focus on whether or not he loves you. Focus on the fact that you love him, and always remember, love is never selfish. It always does what's best for others."

With that, the ancient dragon disappeared into the waters, and Ghirahim's chocolate brown eyes fluttered open.

"Hello, little boy," Link said kindly.

For a moment, horror seized the child's expression. Link remembered that this was going to be the guilty and sick phase, but he didn't quite know what to expect.

Ghirahim began to cry softly, rubbing his eyes, and four words came flying out of his mouth with such passion and fervor, Link was positive they were a lie.

"I didn't do it!"


	9. Chapter 9

**A\N: Yay! Another chapter! I actually really like this one. A lot. ^^ Hopefully in the next one, Groose and Zelda will come back, and we also might see some sick\hallucinating!Ghirahim. I'll do mentions in the next chapter, and OMG 100 REVIEW I LOVE YOU GUYS! *hearts and love and rainbows and joy and peace and happiness EVERYWHERE***

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!  
**

**And please enjoy this chapter!  
**

* * *

Ghirahim blinked up at the man holding him, fear seizing his body and sending waves of pain through his aching, stiff muscles. He sobbed loudly, rubbing his eyes and squirming in the stranger's hold.

"P-please… please, believe me… I didn't do it!"

A light chuckle caught his ear, and he quieted slightly. "You didn't do what?"

Ghirahim froze, his hands falling away from his eyes. "You… you don't know?"

The green-clad person just smiled down at him. "Did you do something bad?"

"No!" Ghirahim blushed slightly. "N-no… I didn't… I didn't do anything."

"Oh? Then why are you so nervous?"

Ghirahim swallowed hard, trying to ignore the painful throb in his head. "I… um… I…"

Gentle fingers brushed his cheek, sliding down his jaw to his chin and lifting his face. "Child, tell me what you did. I won't be angry."

Ghirahim shook him off, gazing down at his lap. "You don't know that…"

"Tell me."

Ghirahim went silent, clasping his hands together and pressing them to his forehead. He chewed on his upper lip, shaking his head slowly. This man didn't seem to be an enemy, and he didn't seem to think Ghirahim was bad at all… but that hardly changed anything about the situation.

"I just can't tell you."

The man squeezed his shoulder lightly. "Why not?"

"I just can't," Ghirahim sighed, turning his wide chocolate eyes to the person he was sitting on.

Azure eyes stared right back at him, and then finally, they closed in submission. "Alright. You can tell me when you're ready, okay?"

Ghirahim blinked a few times, and then he nodded. "R-right… when I'm ready…"

"Well, boy, I take it you're one of Demise's servants?" the man asked, scratching his chin and glancing upward as if thinking something over.

Ghirahim jumped up, jabbing his thumb into his chest. "I am his _greatest _and most _favorite _servant, for your information! And don't forget it!"

The stranger laughed loudly, nodding his head. "Alright, alright, I won't forget it. Does this greatest and most favorite servant have a name?"

Ghirahim blushed slightly, realizing how obnoxious he had been, and he twisted his foot in the dirt. "I, um… well, I'm Ghirahim."

"Nice to meet you, Ghirahim. My name is Link."

Ghirahim stopped for a moment, feeling like he should remember that name. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. "I remember that name! Are you named after the Hero? You know, the one in the storybooks?"

Link smiled and nodded his head. "I certainly am. Your master told me you would recognize my name."

Ghirahim gasped, eyes wide with shock. "H-he did? You know Master?"

Link nodded. "Yup. He asked me to watch you while he was away. He had some very important business to attend to."

Ghirahim looked down at the ground, tears stinging his eyes. _Master has been having lots of business lately… _

"Are you alright?"

Ghirahim jumped, rubbing his eyes and putting on a wide smile. "I'm great!" He gave the man a thumbs up. "So, where are we going to stay?"

"My house. It's not too far… just a day's journey or so."

Ghirahim bit his lip. "A d-day? I'm… I'm not very good for travel… I get sick a lot."

"Oh, I see." Link paused, tapping his chin for a moment. "Well, I guess we'll just have to start walking, and then when you start to feel tired or sick, we'll stop for the day. How does that sound?"

Ghirahim twisted his foot in the dirt, glancing between the earth and Link's face. "A… Alright."

Link extended his hand, and Ghirahim grabbed onto it, staying close to him as they began to walk.

_I didn't do it… I didn't do it… Master made me, I didn't do it!_

* * *

Link poked the campfire idly, staring into the flames as he recalled the events of the day. They hadn't made very much progress, seeing as shortly after they left Faron Lake, Ghirahim started complaining of severe dizziness. Link urged him to walk a little further, but when the boy had to stop and empty his stomach into a nearby bush, Link had decided it was time to call it a day. The lake was no longer in sight, but he could still hear the rushing waterfall, and that was of no comfort to him.

_If we keep this pace, it'll take at least a month for us to get back to the cottage._

Link turned to look at the white-haired child, sighing sadly as his little lungs drew in difficult, congested breaths. Ghirahim coughed harshly in his sleep, and Link reached over, rubbing his chest and blowing on his face.

_He's still running a fever, and I don't have any medicine. I'm not close enough to the lake to wet a rag, either…_

Ghirahim seemed to enjoy the methods Link used, though. Link's warm breath cooled as soon as it touched the sweat on the demon's face, and it seemed to bring at least some amount of relief.

"Didn't do it…" he muttered, turning his face into Link's hand. "Master made me…"

Bright blue eyes blinked a few times, and then Link sighed again. _Faron was right. He's guilty about everything all the time._

But Link didn't know what to do for him—at least not yet. All he could do was hold him. Hold him, kiss him, hug him, care for him, teach him… love him.

"Hang in there, buddy… It'll be over someday."

Granted, Link didn't know when that someday was, but he knew for a fact he was going to be there when it came.

* * *

Ghirahim held his hands up in front of his eyes, a scream tearing from his throat as he hit his knees. White hot flames licked at his body, heat pressing down on him from every side. Cries for help and shrieks of pain rang out in the distance, the village slowly deteriorating as everything was destroyed.

A shadow moved over Ghirahim's body, and he flinched, looking up into the red, soulless eyes of his master.

"M-Master, I… I don't like this."

Demise said nothing, but his eyes spoke volumes of disappointment and anger.

"I… I don't want to hurt people, I… I…"

Ghirahim yelped as his hair was fisted in a large, black hand. "You are a demon. This is your job. You will learn to love it, or you will become one of them!" Demise pointed to a shredded corpse lying in a puddle of blood at their feet. "Do you want that, boy? Do you want me to kill you?"

"N-no! Please! I… I'm sorry!" Ghirahim struggled to get away, tears stinging his eyes as small chunks of his hair were pulled out. "I'll keep doing this until I learn to love it! Just like you said!"

Demise released him with a quiet scoff, his footsteps shaking the ground as he walked away, leaving Ghirahim in the light of the flames to survey the damage he had done.

_I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…_

He looked at the corpse again, reaching out and dipping his finger into the blood. He jumped back, holding his hand as if he'd been burned.

There was no possible way he had done that, right? No… he couldn't have. It was… so bloody. And gory. The innards thrown everywhere, the spine easily visible, the head barely attached to the body.

"I didn't… I didn't do it… I didn't do it! I didn't do it! Master did it! I d-didn't do it!"

His whole body shook, and he clutched his head in his hands, crying out those same words again and again, screaming into the pitch black night.

"I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't… I didn't… I did! I did it!"

* * *

Chocolate eyes snapped open, and Ghirahim found himself staring up into the face of the stranger who had found him in Faron Woods. Link, was it?

"Hey, are you okay? You looked like you were in pain."

Ghirahim shook, sitting slowly and drawing his knees up to his chest. "It was just a nightmare… I'm fine." He wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his chin on top. "You can go back to sleep."

Link placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly pushed him back towards the ground, smiling warmly at him.

"How about we both go back to sleep?"

Ghirahim swallowed hard, biting his lip. "I…"

"I'll sleep right next to you, alright? I'll keep you safe." Link lay down right beside him, putting an arm around him and pulling him close. "I'll be right here."

"I… I… th-thank you…" Ghirahim stuttered, unsure of what to say.

"You're welcome." Link gently closed his eyes, kissing his forehead and snuggling close. "I forgive you," he whispered.

Ghirahim froze, blinking away tears and burying in Link's tunic. "Th-thank you, L-Link," he cried, gripping the green fabric for all he was worth.

* * *

**A\N: Please review! Also, hoping the next chapter will be a little longer... ^^**


	10. Chapter 10

**A\N: Nothing much to say other than sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoy!**

**_Mentions: _****meijosui, Vaati, twinxie1OO, Iubire, anon, CreepyPeopleEatPie, daMikuofAZ, TwiliSoulSerpent, WolfenAmphithere, Alexus Loves Writing, hlf1495, The Dark Dweller, TatlTails, Chocolatepiewithcookiecrums, IWuvDis, MrMyshka, Triforce of Awesome, YaOiLoVeR9, No always a Bookworm, Navishamon, Stoopid Login Button, Half-BloodPrincess1, NatalyaKay, xxxFaiFan, aliy, Charmander Wizard, Anonymous, Dire Heart, Dark Bless, Anonymous 2, zelda3469, BlueFrenchHorn97, SailorSun546, MelociousNocturneGirl, Guest, Melissa Machine 5000, Piezelle, Yay, DarkLinkLovesLink, DragonEye0905, Ponana, Fritter Critter, dbzfan8, Guest 2, Shimmy Tsu, PrincessZelda450, zeldafan45, Pantherstar101, DelicatelyDeadly, EternalCacogen323, Guest 3, xXDakuroXx, Tolly's Bara-chan, and Goddess Night! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! OMG THERE ARE 58 OF YOU! SOMEONE GET ME A PAPER BAG! #CAN'THANDLEMYFEELINGS**  


* * *

"Ghirahim… Ghirahim, wake up."

The little demon sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. His stomach felt much better than the day before, though his head was throbbing a little bit.

"Ghirahim, it's time to get up now. We slept a lot."

Ghirahim opened his eyes, looking up into the face of his master's friend, trying to recall what happened. He never slept a whole night through! But after that first nightmare… he couldn't remember waking up. What…?

"_I forgive you."_

Ghirahim grinned, jumping to his feet and throwing his arms around Link's waist. "Thank you, Link!"

The blonde laughed, picking him up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "What for?" he asked, his brow crinkling a bit.

"Just… just thank you!" Ghirahim repeated himself, unsure of how to voice what he was thinking. "Thank you…" He hugged him again, and Link hugged him back, whispering into his ear.

"You're welcome, precious."

Ghirahim blushed. No one had ever called him precious before. Ever.

Link set him on the ground and knelt down, holding out a roll. "I want you to start with something small and light so you don't get sick, okay? Once we get back to the cabin I'll be able to get you some medicine, but for now, we're going to take it easy and try a little something I thought of last night."

Ghirahim took the roll, nibbling on it slowly, not wanting to overwhelm his stomach and make himself sick before they even broke camp. "Okay... what are we going to try?"

"This is Jade." Link opened up a bottle, and something flew out, hovering right in front of Ghirahim's face. "She's a fairy."

Ghirahim gasped, examining the being with wide eyes. She was like a really tiny girl with black hair, green eyes, pointed ears, and pale skin. Her dress appeared to be made from pink lily petals, and her entire body—iridescent wings included—had a pink shimmer around it.

The demon slowly extended his finger, holding it right next to her feet. "She's pretty."

The fairy smiled at him, landing on his finger and walking up his hand towards him.

"Link, what can she do? B-besides fly, I mean."

"She heals injuries and sicknesses. So hopefully she can keep you healthy during your stay," Link explained, putting out the fire and throwing a few final objects into his adventure pouch.

Ghirahim's jaw slowly lowered, and he looked at the fairy with wide eyes. "Can you come live with me forever?"  
The fairy smiled again, and he heard a soft tinkling sound like bells chiming from her throat. Link glanced over his shoulder, standing up and motioning for them to start walking.

"No, she can't. But there are lots of fairies that can heal you. You can find them almost anywhere, and they'll help you out."

Ghirahim made sure she had a comfortable resting place on his shoulder before running after his caretaker, a little bounce working its way into his step. "I feel much better today, Link. Thank you for taking care of me."

"You're welcome," Link smiled, holding out his hand.

Ghirahim latched onto it, and the duo continued down the path. "Thank you for the food, too!"

Link nodded again. "You're welcome."

"And thank you for—"

Link stopped, turning to him and kneeling down. Ghirahim felt the temperature drop a few degrees, fear filling his body. Link's hand slowly reached out, and Ghirahim flinched away when it made contact.

"I'm sorry!"

Link gently cupped his face and turned his head so they were looking at each other. He leaned forward until Ghirahim could feel the swordsman's breath on his face, and then…

He kissed him. Right on the nose.

"Ghirahim, you don't have to thank me for every little thing. I appreciate it, but I do these things because I love you, not because I want recognition."

Ghirahim blinked a few times, looking up at the man with a baffled expression. "But it's only polite that I—"

Link shook his head. "It's not about being polite, Ghirahim. It's about love. It's about caring for someone and putting their interests above your own. Looking out for them."

"Love…"

Link nodded, giving him a big smile. "That's right."

He stood up, holding out his hand again. Ghirahim grabbed it idly, still thinking it over in his head. It was all so foreign to him… but it was also nice.

_Love…_

* * *

Link threw his head back and welcomed the cool water that ran down his throat. He swallowed, pulling the canteen away from his mouth and handing it to the boy at his side.

"Want another drink?"

Ghirahim nodded and took the water while Link wiped off his mouth. He let out a sigh, falling back on the warm surface of the boulder they had taken a rest on. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling great! Jade is really helping me!"

Link smiled at him, folding his arms under his head. "That's good." He turned his gaze to the sky, watching the white, puffy clouds drift across the blue expanse. "So, Ghirahim… what do you like to do for fun?"  
"Fun?" Ghirahim frowned, putting the lid on the canteen and tossing it onto the ground with the rest of their stuff. "I don't… I don't really have time for fun."

The hero frowned, crossing his legs at the ankles. "Well, that's not right. If you don't have fun, what do you do?"

Ghirahim scratched his chin for a few moments and then shrugged his shoulders. "I train and practice my magic. I help Master with his work… I go to school and learn how to read and write and stuff."

Link shook his head. "You never play games? You never watch plays? You never go on adventures?"

Ghirahim just stared at him, all of the words completely lost on his brainwashed little mind.

"Alright!" Link clapped his hands together, sitting up and cracking his back. "We're gonna have some fun!"

"H-how do you have fun?"

"I'm gonna teach you." Link flicked the little boy's nose, grinning widely. "We'll start off with a game of hide n' seek, and if you feel up to it, we'll play some tag later."

"Tag? H-hide n' seek?" Ghirahim stuck his thumb in his mouth, chewing on his knuckle nervously. "But I don't know how!"

Link pulled him to his feet and dusted him off. "Ghirahim, it's not a competition! It's just for… for…" How could he explain what he was trying to say without using the word 'fun'? "It's just for… pretend. It's not real. It's not training or practice or anything… it's to make you smile. Make you laugh. Make you feel happy inside."

Ghirahim looked down at himself, tracing his finger over his chest. "I… I want to feel happy inside."

"Then we're going to have fun!" Link jumped off of the rock and held out his arms. "Hop down!"

Ghirahim pursed his lips, blinking a few times. He still seemed nervous about the whole thing, a horribly guilty expression on his face.

"But… but what about Master?"

Link gave him a look. "Now, Ghirahim. Do you think I would do something your Master wouldn't approve of?"

"N-no…"

"Then trust me!" Link shouted, never once letting the smile leave his face. "Come on!"

Ghirahim hesitated once more, and then he jumped, giggling as he fell into Link embrace.

"Okay, Link! Teach me how to have fun!"

And that's exactly what he did.

* * *

Ghirahim toppled into bed, completely drained from the long day he'd had with Link. They had managed to get back to the cabin with Jade's help, and supper had still been on the table. Ghirahim had met Zelda and Groose, and they had eaten a great dinner before Link said it was time for bed. Ghirahim had no objections, he just hoped he didn't have any more bad dreams. Without Link to hold him and make him feel better… he was scared.

_It'll be fine. Link's still in the house. He'll come get me… if I… have a bad… dream…_

And with that comforting thought, the little demon drifted off to dreamland, a content smile on his face.

* * *

"What happened to him?"

Link sighed, rubbing his face as he attempted to gather his thoughts and explain the phenomenon that had made Ghirahim the way he was. "Well, he made his first kill, and he was completely devastated. I was trying to figure out what could have happened between that first kill and the Ghirahim we know today, so I asked Faron. I figured she would be old and wise enough to have a basic understanding of the situation."

Zelda and Groose both nodded, listening intently, and I did my best to continue in summary format.

"I talked to her, and she told me it would be best to go through different phases of his life with him. Then whenever he becomes an adult, he'll have both sets of memories, and he'll have to pick which one he wants to live by. So he was four, and she made him six. I think nine is the next age…"

Zelda frowned, tilting her head slightly. "I'm confused. Why does he lose his memories?"

Link stopped for a moment, not really sure how to answer her. "I don't…"

"Maybe," Groose interjected, and then paused. "I don't know how to word it, really, but I think it's like… like imagine if Ghirahim were unconscious and we had some kind of gizmo that could put us into his head. That's where we are now, in his head, rewriting his memories. And then when we're done, we leave, and he wakes up. And when he wakes up… it all comes flooding back to him. Maybe it's like that."

Zelda and Link both stared at their companion. Groose shifted nervously.

"Wh-what?" he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.

Link squinted. "That was surprisingly profound… who are you and what have you done with Groose?!"

Groose threw his head back and laughed, and Link tackled him. Zelda stood up, running over and strategically standing behind the chair.

"Get'im, Link!"

Groose and Link both laughed, rolling around on the ground and trying to punch each other out. Zelda jumped back as they nearly knocked over the chair, moving to the couch and picking up a ball of yarn, aiming to throw.

They all froze as a scream rang through the house.

Link jumped to his feet. "Ghirahim!"

He dashed down the hall towards the bedroom door.

Ghirahim screamed.

* * *

_Fire rose up around him, licking at his skin and reaching for his body. There was nothing but fire. Beyond the flames, only blackness could be seen. Blackness and flames, blackness and flames… so dark and suffocating, like he was being squeezed underneath a massive weight._

"_Help me! Somebody help me!" _

"_What are you doing, Ghirahim? Help yourself!"_

_Ghirahim flinched, looking up at the darkness and seeing a pair of glowing red eyes peering down at him. They narrowed, glaring angrily._

"_Why are you weak? I trained you better than this! What are you doing with your time?"_

"_I w-was having… f-fun! That's all, Master… please, don't be angry… p-please… I…"_

"_Fun? Fun?! Do you honestly have time for fun when there are spells to be mastered? And techniques to learn? And studies to finish?" The thundering voice from above shook the world around him, sending the fire in rocketing pillars towards the sky._

"_P-please, Master, Link and I were just—"_

"_Train! Learn! Grow stronger! You don't have time for fun!"_

"_Y… Yes, Master… I'll remember this! I'll train hard, and I won't have any fun! I promise!"_

_The world shuddered again. "You better… or you're going to pay dearly, slave!"_

_Ghirahim fell on his back, flames leaping over his vision, surging towards him. He threw his hands up, covering his face. _

_And he screamed._

* * *

Ghirahim's eyes snapped open, and he tumbled into a nearby corner, curling up into a ball. Fire slinked across his walls and furniture, moving swiftly towards the ceiling, and Ghirahim could smell the thick smoke in the room.

He coughed into his hand, blood flecks appearing on the surface of his skin. He felt sick and dizzy and tired all over, and the inability to breath wasn't making things any better.

"Master? Master, are you still here? Make the fire stop! This is Link's home!"

He doubled over, violent coughs racking his little body and sending pain throughout his body. The door flew open with a bang, and Link's head snapped up to see a very angry Link.

"Ghirahim, what are you doing?"

"I-I didn't do it!" he shouted, pushing himself back into the corner. "Please, don't be mad! I didn't do it!"

Link stormed up to him, waving his arms in frustrated gestures. "Then what happened? Did the room just magically catch on fire?"

Ghirahim shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but smoke flooded the hole, and he doubled over again. Fingers coiled through his hair, jerking his head back.

"Don't you dare look away when I'm talking to you! What happened here?"

"I don't know!" Ghirahim cried, wiping his eyes and struggling to breathe. "I just woke up from a dream, I don't know! Please, I didn't do it! I didn't do it!"

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I didn't do it!"

"Liar!"

"I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I didn't! I didn't! I didn't!"

* * *

Link fanned the boy in the bed obsessively. "Hurry up with that water! And get another blanket!"

Groose finished putting out the small fire that had sparked up in the room and ran down the hall, nearly running into Zelda, who ran into the room with a basin of water and some rags.

"Where's Jade?" Link asked, grabbing a rag and wringing it out before folding it over the feverish child's forehead. "I need her!"

Zelda ran for the door. "I'll see if I can find her!"

Groose came in with the blanket, nearly hitting her again. "There's a fairy whistle in my closet! Use that if you have to!"

Link grabbed the blanket and threw it over Ghirahim's body, blowing on his face as he had the night before. "Thank you, Groose."

"What else do you need?"

"Nothing, really…" Link sighed, running his fingers over the boy's face, neck, and chest. "I just need to stay with him until he's stable. I'm worried about hallucinations, though. Hallucinations and nightmares… there's no telling what he'll see."

Groose frowned, pulling up a chair and sitting next to his friend. "And he was just started to have fun and lighten up…"

Ghirahim squirmed in his sleep, a pained expression etched onto his face. "I didn't do it… didn't do it… didn't… didn't… please… I didn't…"

Link leaned down to Ghirahim's ear, blowing on his face and stroking his hair soothingly. "Shh… shh… I love you… I forgive you… it's okay, it's not your fault… you're safe here… you're loved… you're special… you're fabulous… Ghirahim, you're going to be okay… I love you, Ghirahim."

Link continued to whisper sweet nothings into his ear, trying to pull him to reality. The small child clutched his hand, but he was still in a state of complete deliria. All Link could do was love him and pray that would be enough.

"I love you, Ghirahim."

"I didn't do it…"

* * *

**A\N: So, yeah... Things are not going to be pretty when Ghira wakes up. Stupid Demise... *take all my hateful feels, Demise* **

**Please review! And I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you all for supporting my story thus far! It means a lot to me... *heart*  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**A\N: This is kinda short, but I think the next one will be longer. Enjoy!**

* * *

Link jerked awake as a firm hand grasped his shoulder. His head jerked to the side as he was shaken again, and he instantly recognized the style of whiplash.

"Groose, stop!" Link swatted his hand away, yawning. "What's wrong?" He needed a few more hours of sleep…

"Ghirahim's waking up, and I don't know what to do!"

Link jumped to his feet, dashing down the hall. "What? How did I fall asleep? What was I doing?" He swung into Ghirahim's bedroom, running over and kneeling beside Zelda, who was dabbing the feverish child with a damp rag.

"Is he okay?"

Zelda nodded, smiling. "His fever came down a lot during the night. He keeps calling for you, though."

Link sighed in relief, his exhaustion quickly returning. "Thank goodness… Is he saying 'I didn't do it' still?"

Zelda nodded her head sadly. "All he says is 'Daddy, I want you', 'I'm sorry', and 'I didn't do it'."

Link let out a heavy sigh, moving towards the head of the bed and taking the rag from her. He ran it down Ghirahim's face, dabbing him gently and blowing all the while.

"Ghirahim, Daddy's here now."

The little demon's face scrunched up. "Hnn, Daddy… I want you… Daddy…"

Link moved in close, kissing his nose and whispering in his ear. "Daddy is right here with you. I'm not going anywhere."

"I didn't do it…"

Link kissed his forehead. "I forgive you, buddy. Whether or not you did it, I'm still going to love you. I love you so much."

Chocolate brown eyes fluttered and then opened, seeking out Link's face. The little boy stared for a few moments, and then he started to cry.

"D-Daddy!" he wailed, holding his arms out.

Link picked him up, sitting down on the bed and holding him in his lap. Ghirahim wrapped his arms around Link's neck, burying his face in the hero's chest. Link sat quietly, letting him vent all of his anger and frustration, rocking him gently.

"It's okay, Ghirahim. Everything's fine now. Your fever is down, and soon it'll be time to go on another trip. We'll start playing games again and—"

"No!" Ghirahim shouted suddenly. "No more games! No more fun! Master is furious with me!" The snowcap started crying harder, coughing into Link's tunic.

"Hey, hey, you're still not better. Calm down, now, deep breaths."

Ghirahim took a few shuddering gasps, gripping Link's hand and holding it to his chest. Link could feel the frantic little heartbeats pounding against Ghirahim's ribcage.

"Now, lie down and tell me what your master said." Link put him in bed, tucking the blankets up to his chin.

Zelda stood up abruptly. "I'll go get some soup!" With that, she left the room, and it was just Link and Ghirahim.

"C'mon, buddy. Tell me what Demise said."

Ghirahim wiped his eyes, sniffling. "H-he said I have to train and learn! I have to grow stronger—I don't have time for games!"

Link sighed heavily. It looked like one nightmare had undone all the work he had accomplished thus far. "Alright, Ghirahim. We'll train a bit when you're better, okay?"

Ghirahim coughed, sinking lower into the blankets. "No," he whined. "I have to train hard. Really hard! I don't want Master to be angry with me…"

Link chewed his lip, unsure of what to do. "I… well…"

Ghirahim was still very young and sick, and Link honestly didn't want him to train as much as he had under Demise's tutelage. He was supposed to be making sure Ghirahim had a better life—a different life. Of course… he had to remember who the main influence in Ghirahim's life was. The boy didn't understand that his Master's methods were cruel and wrong, and he looked up to Demise. If Link tried to attack Demise's character, nothing good would come of it.

"How about… we do both?"

Ghirahim cocked his head to the side, pushing his thumb into his mouth. "Both?"

Link nodded affirmatively. "We will have fun _while _we train hard. Then your master can't be mad at you!"

Ghirahim frowned, seeming a little nervous about the idea of having more fun. But finally, he nodded. "O-okay… what kind of training?"

Link scratched the back of his neck, chuckling. "Truth is, I don't know very much magic. But I can teach you all about hand-to-hand combat. Martial arts, swordsmanship, archery, and survival skills."

Ghirahim still didn't like the idea. "I… I can't pay you. Master told you to watch me, right? He didn't tell you to train me."

Link blew his bangs out of his eyes, getting very frustrated with the situation. "Look, I'm going to train you, alright?"

"But—"

"No buts!" Link said, raising his voice. "I'm not letting you train alone!"

Ghirahim jumped, pulling the blanket up over his head. Link blinked and then drove his hand to his forehead, counting to ten as quickly as he could.

"Hey, I didn't mean to yell." He gently tugged on the blanket, but Ghirahim was holding tightly to it. "I'll figure out a way for you to pay me, alright? I'm sorry. Don't be scared…"

Link pulled on the blanket again, but Ghirahim pulled it back up. Link tugged it down. Ghirahim pulled it up. Link down. Ghirahim up. Down, up, down, up, down, up.

Ghirahim giggled madly, pulling on the comforter as hard as he could. Link laughed, too, jerking it in the opposite direction.

"Daddy! It's mine!"

"No, it's not! It's mine!"

Ghirahim finally let go of the blanket, and the laughter slowly died down. Putting his thumb in his mouth again, he looked up at Link and smiled. "I can pay you with magic!"

Link frowned. "Huh?"

"You said you don't know any magic!" Ghirahim bounced excitedly, ignoring the cough that racked his chest every ten seconds or so. "I can teach you magic, and you can teach me… that other stuff you talked about."

Link reached out, tousling his hair. "Hey, sounds like a plan to me."

Ghirahim grabbed the hand, holding it against his face for a moment. Link thumbed his cheek, feeling the dried saltwater caked on the pale skin.

"Daddy… I love you."

"I love you, too, Ghirahim. You're my Ghiraboy."

Ghirahim jumped up, tackling his surrogate father to the bed. "I love you! I love you so much!"

Link laughed, kissing his little boy and hugging him tight. "I love you so much you could never even imagine. If you took all the love in the world and put it in a container, it would only measure up to a quarter of my love for you."

Ghirahim gasped, looking up at him with wide doe eyes. "R…really?"

Link leaned down, playing 'nosies' with him. "Really."

Ghirahim leaned into Link's arms, giggling quietly. "Hmm… I'm tired…"  
"Go to sleep. Your body needs it."

"Stay with me?" The boy yawned returning to his pillow.

Link slid into bed next to him, draping an arm over the boy. "Of course."

"What about… Zelda's… soup…?"

Link chuckled tiredly, his eyelids turning into lead. "We'll eat it later. Goodnight, Ghiraboy."

"Goodnight… Daddy…"

Link let out a heavy sigh, blackness overtaking his mind as someone placed another blanket over the two of them.

_Thank you… Zelda…_

* * *

"Daddy? Why are we at a tree?"

Link stepped away from the base of the largest tree in Faron, admiring his handiwork. He dusted his hands off, walking towards the white-haired demon with a smile. "I made you some targets. I'm going to teach you how to hit them…" He pointed to an area about fifty yards away where Groose and Zelda were standing. "…from there."

Ghirahim blinked, looking between Link, the tree, and the other two Skyloftians. "I can't do that!"

Link laughed, tousling his hair. "Yes, you can! I'm going to show you how, and we'll take it a little at a time."

Ghirahim bit his lip, looking at the tree once more. "O…Okay."

Link straightened up and nodded. "Good. Now, we're going to start with bow and arrow, alright? Then we'll move onto things like knives and other projectiles you can throw with just your bare hands."

Ghirahim nodded eagerly, smiling. "Okay! Let's get started!"

Link laughed, pulling a small bow and quiver of arrows out of his adventure pouch. "Alright, let me show you how to do this…"

* * *

Ghirahim panted heavily, doubled over with his hands on his knees, sweat sliding down his face. He looked up, scanning the tree and looking for mistakes. He saw a few minor mistakes and ran over to retrieve his arrows and try again, his arms aching from the exertion they had been put through.

_But I have to make Master happy! I have to train and get stronger so he won't be mad at me!_

"Hey, Ghiraboy! I think you need to take a break."

Ghirahim looked over his shoulder, spying his caretaker walking towards him with a canteen of water. The demon licked his lips. He really was thirsty, but…

"I have to keep training, Daddy! I'll drink later!"

Link shook his head, walking up to the tree and pulling the little boy off. "No, you need to take a break now. You're still sick, and this has been plenty of training for today."

Ghirahim shook his head vigorously, fear creeping into his heart. "No, Daddy! I have to train, and you have to help me! Master will be so angry with me if I don't get stronger! I've almost got it! Please let me finish, Daddy, please!"

Link pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. He turned and looked at the blanket where Zelda and Groose were relaxing until it was time to leave. Ghirahim fidgeted, giving his father the most pleading expression he could muster. The blonde looked at him for quite some time.

"Ten more minutes," he said finally.

Ghirahim pumped his fists. "Yes! Thank you, Daddy!"

Link reached up and plucked out the arrows, handing them to the little archer and giving him a pat on the head. "There ya' go, kiddo…"

* * *

"You're frustrated."

Link glanced up at his best friend's words. "Huh…?"

"You're frustrated about something," Zelda said, stirring a pot of soup on the stove. "And I think it has to do with Ghirahim."

Link nodded tiredly, resting his forehead on the table. "Yeah…"

There was silence for several moments, and then Zelda laughed. "Well, are you going to tell me what it is or not?"

The hero smiled weakly, shoulders slouching. "I… yeah." He exhaled long and loud, running his hands through his hair. "I just… I was to help him so badly… but he's so messed up in the head. He has all the ideas and beliefs etched into his head, and I don't know how to get them out."  
Zelda nodded slowly, a sign that she was listening and chewing it over.

"I can't tell him Demise is wrong and evil; he'll hate me and never listen to a thing I say again! But if I don't try and contradict Demise _somehow, _then what good is this going to do him? And there are so many setbacks… every time he loses his memory, I'll have to start over. Any time he has a nightmare or a bad memory, it's square one all over again." Link sighed again. "I just don't know what to do…"

Zelda pursed her lips, trying to think of something to say. "Well… you already agreed to do this… and you know that Ghirahim needs you." She paused, glancing at the ceiling and moving her fingers as if she was trying to physically grab the words. "So… you have to keep… moving forward with this plan. And maybe… when you get discouraged just… sit down and… think about the good times. About the times things went right. Take a deep breath, take a walk, do some stretches—just something to relax you and fill your head with happy thoughts." She smiled suddenly. "And of course you have us."

Link grinned, nodding tiredly. "You guys have been a great help."

Zelda gave him a thumbs up. "We decided we're coming along the next time you age him up. We want to be a bigger part of his life then we are now, and we can't do that sitting in the background."

Link smiled. "That's… that's good. I think that will be good for everyone…" He sighed heavily, snapping his fingers and summoning a blanket from the living room. "This whole magic thing isn't half bad, either."

Zelda laughed softly, handing him a bowl of soup. "It is pretty helpful. Keep working at it and you might be as good as Ghirahim someday."

Link laughed with her, wrapping the fleece around himself. "Now wouldn't that be something?" He yawned, slurping the soup and leaning back in his chair. "Ugh… I need a good night's sleep. I've got a long week ahead of me…"

Zelda nodded, smiling at him as he got to his feet and started down the hall.

_A long week? Try a long month… or two… or three… _

Ah, well. He didn't really mind. He knew it was all going to be worth it.


	12. Chapter 12

**A\N: I cannot apologize enough for the long wait! I have been having a horrible time writing ANYTHING for the past two months... Hopefully this chapter is the first of many updates! Thank you so much for your reviews and patience-mentions will be in the next chapter!**

* * *

"Daddy, where are we going?"

Link smiled down at the toddler holding his hand. "We're going to see Faron."

Ghirahim held Zelda's hand as well, swinging between them as they walked. "Who's she? Why are we gonna go see her? Is she nice? Does she have sweets? Can I eat them?"

Link laughed. "Just calm down! So many questions…"

"Ooh! Birdie!" Ghirahim bounded into the forest before he could receive an answer, jumping between trees and rocks in pursuit of his target.

Link laughed again, continuing down the path with Zelda and Groose right behind him. It had been two weeks since Ghirahim had taken on his six-year-old form. Link was certain he had made the necessary amount of progress. Ghirahim was no longer defensive about every little thing that happened, and he accepted tokens of affection without fear or hesitation. He had gotten very sick the week before, but the four of them had stuck it out as a family, and Ghirahim was back on his feet within forty-eight hours. All in all, he seemed to be a happy and content child.

"Are you sure he's ready, Link?" Zelda spoke lowly, watching as Ghirahim ran gleefully around.

Link nodded. "I know he is. Besides, we need to move onto the next step. I want him to grow up as soon as possible." He raised his voice slightly to be heard over the roar of distant waterfalls.

The goddess frowned. "I know you're anxious, but we want to do this right."

"I know, I know." Link stopped and took a deep breath. "You're right, I do need to calm down. But I really think he's ready."

Zelda watched him for a moment more, and then she nodded. "Then… I trust your judgment."

The trio continued until they got to the stone outcropping over Faron Lake.

"Ghirahim, come on up here!" He whistled loudly, waving the boy over.

The demon child ran to him, grinning widely. "What is it, Daddy?"

"It's time to talk to Faron," he said, picking him up. "Now, Ghirahim, it might get a little scary when she comes out, but you're gonna be okay."

Ghirahim nodded eagerly. "Mm-hmm!"

The hero placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "And remember, no matter what, Daddy loves you."

Ghirahim continued to nod, giggling to himself.

"You're gonna be great, kiddo!" Groose gave him a thumbs up.

Zelda smiled. "My brave boy!"

Ghirahim looked at the three of them like they were crazy. He probably couldn't imagine what he would need all these well wishes for, but before Link had a chance to even attempt an explanation, Faron broke the surface and flew up to the bridge, hovering in front of them.

Ghirahim stared with wide, chocolate eyes, a quiet gasp escaping him. He clutched Link's shirt a little tighter and received a comforting pat on the back in return.

"Faron, we brought Ghirahim to see you."

"Oh? Is that so?" The water spirit peered at the little boy, and after a few moments she nodded. "You're doing very well, Hero."

Link smiled, bowing slightly. "Thank you. Zelda and Groose have been helping me."

Faron nodded her head. "I can see that. Very well, it appears he is ready to move onto the next step."

Ghirahim frowned, tugging on the collar of Link's tunic. "Daddy, what does she mean? What next step?"

Link knelt down, putting Ghirahim back on his own two feet and kissing his forehead once more. "Just trust me, Ghirahim. Trust us."

Ghirahim looked from his father to Groose to Zelda… and finally to the dragon. Swallowing thickly, he started walking towards her. Link watched him go, silently shouting words of encouragement.

Faron extended her hand towards Ghirahim, just like last time, and shortly after her finger came in contact with his head he crumbled to the ground, a cloud of diamonds flaring up around him.

The trio watched with bated breath as the smokescreen faded away, and Link approached first, peering down.

"Ghirahim…?" His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the demon in question. "Wait… he's the wrong age!"

Zelda frowned, joining him beside Ghirahim's unconscious form. "What?"

"He was supposed to be nine next! He looks twelve or thirteen!" Link knelt by the boy, looking up at Faron. "What happened?"

The dragon scowled. "I'm not entirely sure…" She lowered her head, observing the demon with cautious eyes. "This wasn't supposed to happen…"

"Well, can't you change him back to a nine year old?" Zelda asked, kneeling down next to Link and stroking Ghirahim's hair.

"No," the reptile said quickly. "We're already taking risks so as it is. To attempt to rewrite his childhood twice could have disastrous results. You'll have to work with what you have."

Link nodded, lifting the boy from the ground and turning to Faron. "Alright. Thank you. We'll do our best!"

Faron said nothing but gave a sharp nod and disappeared into the water. Groose walked over to them, looking down at Ghirahim with concern in his eyes. "Is he… gonna be alright?"

Link nodded. "He will if we help him. We're just going to have to work extra hard this time around since we skipped a phase."

A quiet moan came from the boy in Link's arms, and everyone huddled around, watching the unconscious being closely.

Suddenly, chocolate brown eyes snapped open. "Aha!" He flipped over backwards, flying out of Link's arms and landing on the ground a few feet away. Snapping his fingers, he seized a kunai and glared at the tree of them, his eyes sharp and observant. "What do you want?"

The trio exchanged glances, and Groose coughed awkwardly. After a second or two, Zelda approached Ghirahim slowly, holding her hands out towards him. "It's okay, Ghirahim. Your master sent us to keep an eye on you."

"Liar!" the demon spat, shifting his stance slightly. "Master wouldn't do something like that! He knows I can handle myself."

Zelda was surprised by the response, but she supposed he was right. That had only worked when he was a small child because he was just that—a small child. Shaking her head, she laughed a little, dropping her hands. "Guess I can't fool you, huh?"

Ghirahim arched an eyebrow at her.

"To tell you the truth, we found you like that. We used to babysit you were you were very, very young… you probably don't remember… so when we found you unconscious on the ground, we thought maybe we could spend a little time with you… since it's been so long." She sighed, rubbing her upper arm. "But you're right… you're not our little boy anymore. We, uh… we should leave."

Zelda turned to the others, mouthing the words 'trust me' as she walked passed them towards the woods. She let out another sad sigh but didn't look back.

Groose waved at Ghirahim as he started after Zelda. "Alright, buddy! Glad to see you're back on your feet!"

Link copied his friend's actions. "Stay safe! And maybe come visit us sometime, okay?"  
The look on Ghirahim's face was one of utter confusion and bewilderment, but he had lowered the weapon to his side and that was good.

Link fell in step with Zelda, leaning down to her ear, confident that they were out of Ghriahim's hearing range. "Do you really think—?"

"Wait!" The young demon ran up to them, an uncertain look on his face.

"Yes?" Link asked, turning to him.

"I mean…" Ghirahim stood with his shoulders squared and his hands at his sides like a soldier, but he still had the face of a child. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to spend time with you. After all, you know master, and you used to watch me… it should be fine."

Link smiled and started walking, waving the other along. "Sounds like a plan, Ghirahim. I'm Link, by the way."

"I'm Zelda," the goddess introduced herself as well.

"Groose!" The redhead grinned, jabbing his chest with his thumb.

Ghirahim nodded slowly as if he were processing something. "It's… nice to meet you. Do you have magic?"

The trio exchanged glances, and Link raised his hand. "I do, but I'm pretty new at it."

A pale nose wrinkled up. "How do you intend to deal with the swarms of monsters if only one of you knows magic? And just a little of it?" He shook his head. "No, this is ridiculous. You need magic. We'll begin training first thing in the morning."

Link blinked a few times and then shook his head. "We really don't. We've made it this far without it, and—"

"Which is a miracle in it of itself!" Ghirahim interrupted. "There are three thousand rogue monsters in these woods as we speak. They will attack without hesitation, and if you aren't fully prepared, you'll all be dead within a few days!"

Link crossed his arms over his chest. "Now, see here—"

"Sounds like a plan!"

Zelda and Link both turned to their friend. "What?" they asked in unison.

Groose shrugged his broad shoulders, reaching out and tousling the demon's hair. "I think it'd be fun to learn some magic, and we'll get to see what Ghirahim had been learning since we last saw him. Besides, if these woods are as dangerous as he says, we really oughta listen."

Ghirahim beamed proudly, his hands on his hips as he rocked on his toes a bit.

Link pouted a bit. "Oh… fine."

Zelda jumped on him, throwing her arms around his neck. "They're right, y'know! Besides, it could be fun!"

The hero continued to resist for several moments before he finally let out a laugh and hung his head in defeat, putting his hands in the air. "Alright, alright! You win! We'll learn magic."

Ghirahim grinned widely. "Then I get to be your master!"

Link threw his head back and laughed, and Groose let out a snort. Zelda politely covered her mouth before bursting out in a fit of giggles.

"Wh-what? What's so funny?" the demon snapped, quickly growing red in the face.

Link wrapped his arms around the other and pulled him into a hug. "Nothing… we just… missed you."

"Missed me? How childish!"

Groose and Zelda joined in the hug, and between the three of them, Ghirahim was all but squished.

"A-alright!" Ghirahim shouted, squirming in their grasp. "Th-that's enough of that! Enough, I say!"

The hugging continued.

_"Enough!" _

* * *

Ghirahim sat awkwardly on the dining room chair, watching Zelda bustle about the kitchen like a busy worker bee. He glanced around, keeping his posture rigid and stiff. It seemed like everyone was doing a job or some sort around here. Groose was getting the firewood, Link was hanging the laundry out to dry, and Zelda was cooking supper for them. Ghirahim felt… utterly useless.

He cleared his throat, capturing the blonde girl's attention. "Ah, is there… something… I can do?"

Zelda thought about that for a moment, and then she pointed to the counter. "Do you know how to cut vegetables?"

Ghirahim's head tilted slightly, a curious expression on his face, but he quickly corrected it. "Uh…" He had never done it before, but it couldn't be that hard. "Yeah, I'll cut the vegetables for you."

Zelda smiled and got out a cutting board and a knife. "Here you go!" she said, putting several carrots, potatoes, celery stalks, and a head of cabbage onto the counter. "I cleaned them off already, so just start chopping!" And with that, she started to move around the kitchen once more.

Ghirahim scratched his head a few times and stared at the knife for a minute or so. He put one of the carrots on the board and slowly started sawing the vegetable.

"Hmm…"

He frowned to himself. He didn't think he was doing it right, but… he was too embarrassed to ask for help. Chewing on his upper lip, he continued doing what he was doing, glancing at Zelda on occasion in the silent hope she would notice his plight and offer to help.

It took a few minutes, but his wish was granted, and Zelda laughed softly, walking towards him and shaking her head.

"Honey, you're not doing that quite right."

He blushed at the pet name. "I… I thought as much…" Giving her a sheepish smile, he extended the carrot and knife towards her.

Zelda smiled and came up behind him, guiding his hands to the cutting board. "Here, don't saw it, just cut straight through. Put the tip of the knife down first, and then bring the back down." She moved him through the steps, peering over his shoulder. "Front and back, front and back, front and back… good, good, you're doing it!"  
Ghirahim smiled proudly as his hands were released, and he continued cutting the vegetable on his own. It really wasn't hard once he got the hang of it.

A few minutes later, he was ready to move onto the potatoes. "Do I cut everything like this?"

"The potatoes should be in chunks. Just cut the potato in half, and then cut the halves in half, and so on until you have a bunch of bite sized chunks." She smiled, stirring the large pot of beef broth. "As you cut them, you can throw them in here."

Ghirahim nodded, doing as he was told until all of the produce was cut up and cooking in the pot where it belonged.

Curious brown eyes peered up at Zelda, a tinge of hopefulness in them. "Did… did I complete my task well?"

Zelda turned to him and smiled, reaching out and tousling his hair. "You did very well, Ghirahim."

The demon beamed, smiling widely. He reached up and touched his head where her hand had been not two moments ago. He had never received that gesture before, and it made him feel very… very warm and happy inside. He liked it.

"Alright!" Groose entered the kitchen, rubbing his stomach. "It's eatin' time!"

Link poked his head in from outside. "It's ready?"

Zelda laughed softly, scooping out several bowls of soup and handing them out. "Why, yes it is. And Ghirahim helped me make it, so it's going to be really good!"

Link raised an eyebrow. "You helped cook? Way to go, Ghirahim." He smiled.

"Come on, come on, let's eat!" Groose urged, sitting down at the table.

"Hold your horses!" Zelda snapped as she started to pass out the bowls.

Ghirahim smiled a little and sat down with them, nodding a silent thank you when Zelda placed his food before him. He started to eat, a little proud of his creation—it tasted really good, if he did say so himself. And he did.

Link paused in his eating, looking over at Ghirahim. "After this, you're headed for bed, okay?"

Ghirahim frowned. "I can manage my own bedtime, Link."

The human blinked a few times. "…I see. Well, you're going to train us in the morning, aren't you? You should get some rest."

"As should you." Ghirahim continued to eat, a little put out by the other's bossiness. What, did he think he was Ghirahim's dad or something? Honestly… "It's going to be a lot of hard work, and I won't go easy on you."

Link looked at him, determination flashing in his ocean blue eyes. "I can handle it."

"We'll see about that!"  
"Yes, we will!"

Ghirahim glared at him, and Link laughed, shaking his head. A pale lip stuck out slightly as the demon pouted. "Hmph."

Link only chuckled again, and Zelda and Groose were both smiling. Ghirahim ignored them and continued to eat, keeping his gaze on his food. He couldn't tell if they were taking him seriously or not. He wanted to be taken seriously!

_…Well, I'll just have to prove them wrong in the morning. For now, I'm going to enjoy dinner! The dinner I made!_

And that's exactly what he did.


End file.
